California's POP-CORN goes the way of the sundial

Instituted in the late 1920s, the time could be had in Northern California simply by dialing POP-CORN, or 767-8900. At least until last week.

Now, instead of the familiar time recitations broken by a beep every 10 seconds, callers hear: "Effective Sept. 19, 2007, the time-announcement information service has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience."

At least it's still a woman's voice.

AT&T spokesman John Britton said the service was shut down due to dwindling demand as consumers turn to cell phones and the Internet for the time, and because outmoded equipment no longer could be maintained economically.

"The time has come for the time lady," Britton said Tuesday.

"In 1929 when we launched this service, cutting edge was the time lady," he said, noting that at first there was no recording.

"Somebody sat in front of two clocks. ... They would read it live every 15 seconds," Britton said. "It was like the iPhone of 1929; it was very innovative."

The shine has faded from that innovation, however, particularly as consumers increasingly turn to cellular telephones, the Internet and even some television services for the right time.

"Call volumes are way down" on the POP-CORN service, Britton said.

Also, the 1960s-era equipment that provided the time had outlived its usable life and was no longer supported by the manufacturer, he said.

California had been among the last of AT&T's 22-state service areas to have the time announcement. Now, the only remaining AT&T time service is in Nevada, and that's because its time-announcement equipment is relatively new.

There are some telephone company customers, of course, who don't have access to cell phones or computers.

Those might include "blind grandmothers," who could use a standard telephone but now have no way to get the time, said John La Rue, a Stockton resident with 40 years of experience in the communications industry and an extensive collection of antique telephones and memorabilia.

The retired businessman said he'd even be willing to restore POP-CORN.

"If AT&T would release those telephone numbers to me, I would provide a time service."

La Rue also criticized AT&T for what he called a "veiled rate increase."

He said, "Typically, the telephone company has provided this service, and the service has not been free. We have all paid for the service.

"So in effect, the removal of the time service has been a raise in the phone rates, because the telephone company is doing less work for the same amount of money."